Govt admits blunder, withdraws Pakistan ‘Most Wanted´ list

New Delhi: Government on Friday withdrew a public list of most-wanted fugitives it wants Pakistan to extradite after discovering at least one of them was in an Indian prison.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it had failed to update its records after one accused was arrested in 2010, meaning his name remained on a list handed over to Islamabad this March.

The list was originally seen as adding pressure on Pakistan to act.

A second person on the list sent to Pakistan was earlier traced by local media to his home in western Maharashtra state. Another person on the website was extradited from Bangladesh to India in October, media reported.

Officials including Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, who initially laughed off reports of errors in the list, admitted responsibility.

“Error has been accepted. Responsibility will be fixed for the mistake,” Internal Security Secretary UK Bansal told reporters.

The list included names of five Pakistani army men, the first time India has formally accused the powerful military of aiding militant attacks on India.